


It Has To Be

by Catchclaw



Series: Mental Mimosa [7]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M, Reunions, Separations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-01 10:16:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14518296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchclaw/pseuds/Catchclaw
Summary: Captain Rogers and the crew of theShieldspot a familiar signal in the middle of the sea.





	It Has To Be

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Nautical themes: (ships and the sea; desert islands and buried treasure).

“Captain!”

Steve heard the shout first; registered the pounding on his cabin door a moment later.

“Captain Rogers!”

He sat up in his bunk, bleary, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Come in.”

The door burst open as if by cannonball and before him stood his first mate, Barton, his face ablaze above the lantern he clutched in one hand. “Sir, forgive me, sir, but we’ve spotted a signal.”

“A signal?” Steve swung his legs from the sheets and reached out for his shirt. “What kind of signal?”

“A very faint one at first, but stronger now. And steady. Nat says it’s semaphore code.”

“From another ship?” They were southwest of the Bahamas, headed in a long, lazy arc towards Dominica, and while it wasn’t inconceivable to cross paths with another ship, that these waters belong to Steve Rogers and the fierce crew of the Shield was well known; it was rare these days for them to encounter anyone foolish enough to test the rumors for themselves.

“No, sir. From an island 10 degrees off our bow. The charts says it’s called Concepcion.” 

Steve’s blood froze, his hands fumbling over his boots as if he were made from ice. But no, he told himself, it couldn’t be. It couldn’t. Five years, it’d been. It wasn’t possible that anyone could have–-

“Clint,” he said with all the calm he could muster, “are you certain? Maybe the moon’s playing tricks.”

Barton grinned. “Nat wouldn’t let me wake you until we were sure, and take it from her, there’s no doubt about it: there’s a message there, sir. Clear as day.”

“A message?”

Barton looked him dead in the eye. “Three words: c _ome Steve help_.”

Steve leapt to his feet, boots forgotten, and he herded Clint out of the cabin and into the passage. “Bring us about, Mr. Barton!” he bellowed. “Shortest course. Have the lads let out as much sail as you need.”

Barton was already shouting orders as they emerged above decks and in a matter of moments, there were men shimmying up the mast, others swarming the sails, all of them caught up in a wave of excitement that seemed to make the very deck vibrate. Above them, the moon sailed on, serene, and Steve pitched his head back to stare, the wind curling around his hair and whispering into his ear.

 _Bucky_ , the wind said.  _It has to be_.


End file.
